Making DNA is AE

[Robyn Rhodes]

Thanks Dave,

I am going to try to do it in AE. I hope I don’t drool on my keyboard too much ;-0_ _ _

thanks for the tip.

r

I’m only half the thing I say I am, the other half are me.

[Nicholas Toth]

(Dave is right — and the render times would be absolutely TERRIBLE)

Blender is free. http://www.blender.org
There are plenty of tutorials there also.

[Robyn Rhodes]

Hey Dave,

Can you please broach prudence? I’m interested in what you have to say there.

The way I’m doing the DNA is making hexagonal beams with 3D layers parented to a null scaling into existence via Null parenting. As each one grows it spins into the right position. At the end of each beam is an icon. I may go the extra 1,000,000 miles and try to do little diagonal connectors from beam to beam to really give the impression of a helix. Once it’s built I can play god with the AE camera!

And all this, sport socks!

peas,

r

I’m only half the thing I say I am, the other half are me.

[Trevan Whiting]

You might want to ask about this in the After Effects Expression forum. Dan Ebberts is a master expression writer and might have some tips for you.

[David Bogie]

tried google “dna in after effects”?
There was a simple tutorial someplace on the Internet a few years ago. It was a double barber pole. Very cool, almost instantly created.

Sorry, got no idea where it went.

bogiesan

This is my standard sigfile so do not take it personally: “For crying out loud, read the freakin’ manual.”

[Gene Gemperline]

If you have Trapcode Particular, this might be workable – at least the helix part.

Off the top of my head (I don’t have AE in front of me right now) I would create two light emitters for particular, parent them to a 3D null, make sure they’re polar from each other, then rotate the null as you move it up or down. If you set Particular to emit a whole ton of particles (circles, probably) and then put the velocity of emission on zero, you might come out with a 3D spiral. Then you should be able to move the camera around it.

As for spheres and icons – gee I don’t know. You might be able to fake a “ladder” with just a 2.5D black bar, but icons? Hmmm…

You can sometimes get away with creating “fake” 3D objects in AE (at least “fake” extrusion) by duplicating layers and placing them behind each other, so that you essentially have a bunch copies of one layer REALLY close together. This kind of gives the illusion of depth, just don’t look at the sides head on, because then it’ll become translucent.

————–

https://www.youtube.com/user/Baccus83

[Bill Kelly]

Trapcode Form might be an option too. The particles are already generated and don’t die off.

[Graham Quince]

I’ve made DNA in AE before just using CC Ball Action. If you create a rectangular solid and apply ball action and alter the ball size from the default to 50 and twist it on the x-axis, you immediately see the familiar spiral.

From there, I went to photoshop and created a similar shaped psd with colours down the outside and transparent sections – all conforming to a grid. Bringing that into AE, and using ball action finalised the DNA look.

If this is any help

Graham

https://www.shiveringcactus.bravehost.com – Free FX for amateur films

[Robyn Rhodes]

Hey Dave and anyone else,

This is how the DNAishness turned out.

Thanks again for the help.

-R-

https://www.hotwireindustries.com/ftphotwire/FJ_Sock_08.mov

I’m only half the thing I say I am, the other half are me.